Farnborough 2022 Recap

An A350XWB and a Boeing 777X face each other at Farnborough. This image is reminiscent of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869 at Promontry, Utah. Back then people thought that was the best way to connect the world. Now commercial aviation is that new frontier to connect people all over the world (Roxana Leonte).

Last week, the Farnborough Airshow made its triumphant return after a three year hiatus due to the global pandemic. It’s great to see the aviation community come together at one of the most important events in the industry. Whether it’s which aerospace giant had more success or the future of supersonic travel, the storylines that came out of Farnborough are just as captivating as the Super Bowl. So with that said, here are the biggest takeaways from Farnborough 2022.

The Boeing Renaissance

An artist's rendition of a Boeing 737 MAX 10 for Delta. After over a decade of no orders from Delta, Boeing finally receives orders for the MAX 10 at Farnborough (Delta Airlines).

At Farnborough 2022, Boeing upsets rival Airbus in acquiring new orders. First off Delta Airlines orders 100 737 MAX 10 aircraft with a further 30 options. This is a massive win for Boeing because not only does it build confidence with the MAX, it also is the first time Delta ordered from Boeing in over a decade. Delta CEO Ed Bastian says the following in regards to the MAX:

"The Boeing 737 MAX 10 will be an important addition to Delta's fleet as we shape a more sustainable future for air travel, with an elevated customer experience, improved fuel efficiency and best-in-class performance. These new aircraft provide superior operating economics and network flexibility, and the agreement reflects our prudent approach to deploying our capital."

In addition to Delta ordering the MAX, Qatar Airways finalized an order for 25 of the type as well as All Nippon Airways formalizing an order for 20 MAX 8s with options for 10 more. Even leasing companies such as 777 Partners, Aviation Capital group and BBAM will acquire 87 aircraft between all of them with 777 partners ordering up to 66 new aircraft that includes a firm order of 30 737-8-200s. In addition Norwegian Air Shuttle recommits to acquire 50 MAXs by 2028 along with VietJet, a Vietnamese low-cost carrier reaffirming their order for 200 of the type.

A Cargolux 777-8F. The type according to Cargolux will replace their aging 747-400F fleet (Boeing).

But it isn’t just the MAX that did well at Farnborough. The 777-8F also acquired new orders from ANA with 2 of the type (converted from two 777-9s). Even Cargolux joined the fray by choosing the 777-8F to replace their aging 747-400F fleet.But the 777-8F wasn’t the only success story in the freighter market for Boeing. Saltchuk Aviation (Aloha Air Cargo, Northern Air Cargo and StratAir) placed an order for up to four more 767-300BCFs as well as Aircompany Armenia ordering three 737-800BCFs.

A Turkish Airlines 787-9 and a Finnair A330 at Seattle Tacoma International Airport. Despite quality control issues, the 787 is still the go-to choice for airlines around the world for long haul travel (Jamsheed Motafram).

The biggest win however was the 787 Dreamliner. Despite the recent quality control issues, customers are still standing by with the Dreamliner including Aercap ordering five more 787-9s to go with their 125 in their portfolio or on order thus making them the largest customer of the type. Not only that, Azerbaijan Airlines signed a Memorandum of Understanding for an additional 787-8s with an intention to grow their fleet to 10 by 2030. Between the MAX, 777X and the 787 Dreamliner orders, this is exactly what Boeing needed to start their comeback after the most tumultuous time in the company’s history. While Boeing did better than expected at Farnborough 2022, the same can’t be said for Airbus.

Airbus Disappoints

An Alaska A321Neo at San Diego International Airport (Jamsheed Motafram).

Whereas Boeing had a ton of momentum coming out of Farnborough, Airbus on the other hand had a more disappointing showing. While they did get an order for an additional 12 A220-300s from Delta along with 56 A320Neos from EasyJet, they weren’t fresh new orders. Not only that but the rumored A350 order from Air India never came to pass at Farnborough. In addition, their freighter variant of the type didn’t get any fresh orders with customers preferring what Boeing had to offer with their selection of freighters.

LATAM's A321Neo and A321XLR. While Airbus struggled at Farnborough, LATAM's commitment to the A320Neo series of aircraft along with the new A321XLR is a bright spot (Airbus).

But it wasn’t all bad for Airbus. LATAM Airlines announces an order for 17 A321Neos bringing their backlog up to 100 of the type. In addition LATAM confirms that they will bring in the A321XLR into their long haul operations. How many they will order however is still unknown. Christian Scherer, Chief Commercial Officer of Airbus International says the following:

“We applaud LATAM’s strategic vision and sustainability ambition. This order for the A321neo on the heels of its restructuring is a strong sign for the value Airbus brings to making this vision and ambition a reality. The A321XLR will enable the opening of new routes and will allow LATAM to increase its international reach in the region.”

Despite the disappointment at Farnborough, it doesn’t mean that Airbus will struggle in the near future because as more travel restrictions are eased, there will be more demand for aircraft and there will be new orders for the European aircraft manufacturer in the future. While Airbus is struggling in the present, a startup company has more ambitious plans for a more supersonic future.

The Unveiling of the Boom Supersonic Overture

A rendition of the new Overture from Boom Supersonic. This new design has the potential to disrupt the commercial market if it succeeds (Boom Supersonic).

While Boeing and Airbus continue to dominate for commercial aerospace superiority, a startup from Denver, Colorado known as Boom Supersonic has ambitious plans to bring back supersonic travel. Recently, they unveiled a new design for their highly anticipated Overture airliner. With an additional engine, gull wings and a contoured fuselage, this new supersonic jet might be “the way of the future” to quote Howard Hughes. Early in January, United ordered 15 of the type for their 3 and a half hour transatlantic flights between Newark and London at a speed of Mach 1.7. While not as fast as the Concorde which can go up to Mach 2 thus making the transatlantic voyage in under three hours, it’s still a lot faster than conventional transatlantic voyages. In addition to United, Japan Airlines invested $10 billion for the startup in 2017 with an option to order 20 of the type. But it isn’t just for civilian transport as well. Even Northrup Grumman is working closely with Boom to make a military derivative of the Overture.

A British Airways Concorde on display at The Museum of Flight. Although a success intitally, the plane was plagued by its noise and lack of fuel efficiency. Boom Supersonic are hoping that the Overture won't be plagued by the same issues that doomed the Concorde (Jamsheed Motafram).

While this would be an amazing accomplishment if Boom succeeds, there are a lot of hurdles to overcome. Two of the biggest reasons as to why the only supersonic airliner Concorde was retired is because of the lack of fuel efficiency as well as the noise associated with supersonic travel. First off given that the Overture flies above the speed of sound, how is it going to do so without making a ton of noise? The answer is that by adding an additional engine to the Overture will “reduce noise considerably” according to President Kathy Savitt as well as utilizing the first automated noise reduction system to make takeoffs and landings quieter. As for fuel efficiency, unlike the Concorde, the Overture much like the 787 Dreamliner has a fuselage made entirely of carbon composite materials, which as a result would reduce drag thus increasing fuel efficiency. In addition to a composite fuselage, United pledged to have their supersonic fleet to fly on 100% sustainable aviation fuel. While all of this sounds good, only time will tell as to whether the aviation industry will in the words of U.K. rock band Oasis “feel supersonic” for a lack of a better term.

Closing Statements

An EVA Air 787-10 arriving into Seattle. With the Dreamliner receiving new orders at Farnborough, the type has a bright future ahead (Jamsheed Motafram).

All in all, with the conclusion of Farnborough 2022, the future of commercial aviation is brighter than ever. Between, Boeing’s renaissance, the disappointment of Airbus as well as the promise of supersonic travel, the industry hasn’t felt this alive since 2019. But what do you guys think? What’s your biggest takeaway from Farnborough 2022? Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments and keep looking to the sky!